


So his father’s the lord of a questionable business empire

by Taeyn



Series: I wouldn’t date him in 10,000 years [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff and Angst, Keith pushes Lotor’s buttons, Lotor Week 2017, M/M, Meet the Friends, Panic Attacks, Pining Keith (Voltron), and Lotor makes a mistake
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-28
Updated: 2017-08-28
Packaged: 2018-12-20 22:38:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11930760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taeyn/pseuds/Taeyn
Summary: “Is this the thing where you say one truth and one lie?” says Keith, and he glowers at Hunk, then Lance, like they’ve both somehow conspired against him. Lance shrugs, helpless.We’re just trying to lighten the mood,Lance thinks, hopes Keithgets itfrom the weird squinty-face he’s pulling.Lotor invited you guys over to make friends, not to moodily inspect his strangely luxurious living quarters and swear you into some sort of allegiance.Keith’s glare darkens.Yeah, the squinty-face isn’t working.





	So his father’s the lord of a questionable business empire

**Author's Note:**

> Another college!Lotor episode for Lotor week. possibly a bit more angsty than the first... (langst > klangst >> klangstelot? ^^;;)
> 
> prompt- family/independence  
> cw- mild alcohol (though not underage drinking, they are of legal age), and panic attacks

“Okay, so these are the rules,” Hunk starts, sits on the floor and presses his palms together in front of his chest. The rest of Lance’s friends are still hovering, and as much as he doesn’t want to admit it, Lance can’t exactly blame them. Half Lotor’s furniture looks like it belongs in a gallery, the rest like it could cause some serious bodily harm.

“Wonderful,” Lotor says brightly, and instead of sprawling himself over his favourite armchair, he crosses his legs and shuffles closer.

Lance smiles.

“Basically truth or dare, now with 100% less dare,” Hunk continues, points his hands toward Pidge, who suddenly lights up.

“Oh, OH, I know this one,” Pidge flails, drops down next to Hunk and motions for Lance and Keith to come join. “We did this in freshers week. And just a warning to you guys, I’m kind of a pro already.”

“Is this the thing where you say one truth and one lie?” says Keith, and he glowers at Hunk, then Lance, like they’ve both somehow conspired against him. Lance shrugs, helpless.

 _We’re just trying to lighten the mood,_ Lance thinks, hopes Keith _gets it_ from the weird squinty-face he’s pulling. _Lotor invited you guys over to make friends, not to moodily inspect his strangely luxurious living quarters and swear you into some sort of allegiance._

Keith’s glare darkens.

Yeah, the squinty-face isn’t working.

“Perfect!” Lotor exclaims, flashes Hunk an enthusiastic smile. “So, if I’m correctly interpreting the rules of engagement, I might start by telling you…”

His gaze travels from Pidge, to Keith, then lingers as Lance gives him a shy nod.

“...that my favourite colour is purple. Or, my favourite colour is blue.”

“ _Purple!_ ” Hunk and Pidge yell, and for a moment that seems like an easy one, Lotor’s outfit alone has more shades of purple than anyone should ever attempt to coordinate.

...somehow, he gets away with it.

“Actually,” says Lotor, he leisurely stretches his ankles. “It’s always been blue.”

“Dang,” says Hunk, laughs as he pours out two shots. Pidge raises hers and they cheers, pull equally scrunched-up faces as they swallow.

“Okay,” Keith says quietly, his posture straightens and he crosses his arms. “Here’s one. I dropped out of high school because I wanted to. Or, I was expelled after a series of disciplinary issues.”

“Yaay, Keith’s on-board,” says Pidge, somewhere between cheerful and dry.

“One point for participation, two for appropriate interpretation of the ‘fun game’ vibe,” Hunk agrees, gives a nervous laugh.

“Keith, you were totally expelled,” Lance laughs, grins at him. Keith might take a while to warm-up to people, but it means a lot to Lance that Keith is here at all.

“No,” says Keith, and for a split-second something crosses his eyes, Lance has never seen that look before. “I dropped out.”

“...oh,” Lance says after a moment, because he’s sure… I mean, didn’t he…

Keith doesn’t blink, and for a second Lance is scared he’s going to turn and walk right out the door. But then he lowers his gaze, gives a jerk of his head toward the shot glasses.

“I’ll take two, since he’s my roommate,” Lance laughs, trying to smooth it over. “One and then a penalty.”

“Okay, my turn,” says Pidge, and Lotor rests his chin in the heel of one hand, his face is calm but his eyes are focused.

“I am secretly _the_ biggest nerd for nature,” says Pidge, raises an eyebrow. “Or, I’m allergic to nature and everything in it, Hunk’s pot plant once died because I stared at it too long.”

“Dude, it’s the second one,” Hunk blurts, wide-eyed. “Keep your medusa-glare away from my new cactus, I swear-”

“Second one,” says Keith, and he throws her a small smile.

“Locking in option two,” Lance confirms, they _all_ remember the midnight trip to the drug store after Pidge touched some harmless blade of grass.

“Your second statement is true, to a point,” Lotor says slowly, his face veiled and curious as the others turn to look at him. “Which meant, at first you thought you didn’t like it.”

“-not an answer,” Keith snaps.

“But then, you _chose_ to,” Lotor continues, lightly shakes his hair behind his shoulders as he leans back. “Or, ‘nature’, if I may use such a term, chose you. And then you realised it had never really been a choice at all.”

There is a small silence.

“Holy pancakes,” says Pidge, stunned. “The rest of you need to drink?”

Lotor tips his gaze toward Lance as Hunk pours the shots, and Lance is astonished to realise he looks strangely unsure. Lance gives a half-wink, warm.

_You’re doing great._

“Alright,” says Keith, though it sounds more like a challenge than an invitation. When Lance catches him staring at Lotor, he has the sinking feeling Keith is the very opposite of impressed. “Fact one- I was put into foster care by my father. Or, my father disappeared without a trace one night, and nobody has any idea what happened to him.”

Lance sips at his glass, his mouth pulls down at the edges. This one he definitely knows.

He’s less sure Keith would want him to answer.

“Or how about this,” Lotor says icily, his tone lowered as he sees Lance’s troubled expression. “ _My_ father lords over a _highly_ questionable business empire, which he expects me to help lead one day. Or-”

Lotor pauses, eyes dark and shoulders lifting, his lips parted ajar as Keith can’t look away.

“-or, my father is still _everything_ I just said. However, _I already do._ ”

Lance is sure he can hear his own heartbeat in the quiet that follows.

“Just putting it out there, I also brought Twister,” says Hunk, clasps his hands with such hope that Pidge startles.

“Count me in,” says Lance, though his confidence wavers a moment later. He tries to get up, but his legs have suddenly gone unsteady, his mouth dry and his pulse quickening. “Or… save my spot? Sorry. I’ll just be in the bathroom?”

“Are you alright, Lance?” says Lotor, his scathing expression is swiftly replaced by concern. “Let me get you some water, here-”

He’s on his feet in an instant, holds out both hands to help.

“No, no, just the bathroom,” Lance babbles, in truth he has no idea what’s wrong. He doesn’t even feel tipsy, him and Keith play stupid drinking games all the time. “Sorry, I- just a sec-”

He makes it out of the living room, his face feels hot and his fingers numb and trembling. Lotor’s apartment is huge, so he aims for the closest washroom, the one with all the towels and the spa bath and-

Lance slams the door closed behind him, takes some deep breaths then stops when that makes him dizzy. He splashes a handful of water over his face, then ducks the rest of his head under the tap too, lets the water soak through his hair.

“Lance?” comes Lotor’s voice after a moment, he gently knocks on the door. Lance’s head is still in the basin, his ears have stopped popping at least. He spits out a mouthful of water, tries to clear his throat.

He’s never been so embarrassed in his life.

“I’m coming in, alright?” Lotor tries again, and Lance quickly stands up, dries his face on his sleeve. His complexion looks pale and blotchy in the mirror, his hair plastered over his brow and water dripping down the back of his jacket. Lotor opens the door.

“Your boyfriend is an idiot,” Lance says weakly. “Or option two, your boyfriend is completely hopeless. I’ll also give you the choice of both.”

Lotor blinks, shakes his head, then lets out a sharp breath. He looks like he’s been punched.

“Lance,” he whispers, his voice surprisingly fierce. “I’m very upset with myself right now, more so that I lack the words to tell you just how untrue both of those things are.”

Lotor swallows, then snatches one of the towels, then abandons the towel and gathers Lance in his arms.

“I am _so_ sorry,” he whispers, presses his face to Lance’s wet hair. “I should not have spoken about my family in the way that I did. That was certainly not the way to broach such a topic, no matter how provoked I might’ve felt. I… am quite horrified that I did.”

“It’s not your fault,” Lance says hoarsely, and he presses his ear against Lotor’s chest, Lotor’s breathing strangely uneven.

“I just drank too quickly,” Lance admits, though now that he thinks about it, he’s just as unsure.

A highly questionable business empire…?

_I already do..._

“I’m so fucking sorry,” Lotor hisses again, and he draws back from the embrace, he sounds like he’s in pain.

“Lance,” comes a muffled voice from outside, and Lance suddenly feels a good deal more sober.

“I’m okay, Keith,” Lance calls, but Keith opens the door anyway, his jaw gritted and his eyes bright.

“Pidge called a cab,” Keith says after a second, and though he sounds curt, Lance can hear the emotion in his tone, a plea at the edge of it. “We were thinking you might...”

Lance stares at him, he’s no better at reading Keith’s squinty-face either.

_Want to split?_

_Want to sightsee?_

_Never want to see this guy again?_

“Um,” says Lance, because none of those things were what he had planned, but then Lotor places a hand at his elbow, gives a tentative squeeze.

“Please text when you’re home safe?” Lotor murmurs, fighting to smile. “I can be an awful worrier sometimes. It’s one of my worst traits.”

Lance braces for the snap from Keith- _clearly_ , or, _right behind evil empire-building_.

But, whether for Lance’s sake or he’s just that shaken, Keith only nods.

It isn’t until they’re in the cab, Lance’s head tucked into Keith’s shoulder and Hunk’s jacket wrapped around him like a blanket, that Lance asks.

“You didn’t get expelled,” he says quietly, and he reaches for Keith’s hand, in case Keith needs to hold on.

“No,” says Keith, barely loud enough to catch. “I thought I had a lead on my father. I thought there might be a chance I could find him.”

“Not to run a massive guilt-trip,” says Lance, he’s aiming for wry but his voice is still husky. “But that’s a solid reason. And as your best friend, I get it. I’m here for you. So why didn’t you just tell me at the time?”

Keith’s mouth crumples as he grips Lance’s hand, tighter than Lance thought he knew how.

“Because you would have come with me, Lance,” Keith whispers, he turns his face toward the window. “Because I needed to be there for you too.”

-

**Author's Note:**

> tysm for reading! :'> comments & kudos are always adored and appreciated, or [say hi to me on tumblr~!](http://sillyshiro.tumblr.com/) <3


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